Exercising apparatus.



E. C. GOUGH.

BXBRGISING APPARATUS.

'APPLIUATION FILED JUNBQ, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22', 1910.

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MA wm ANDnEw s GRANAU on., PHooAnuonnAFnens. wAsmNG EDWARD C. GOUGH, 0F SI-IULLSBURG', WISCONSIN.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. GOUGH, citizen of the United States, residing at Shullsburg, in the county of Lafayette and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to exercising apparatus, and the chief objects of the improvements which constitute the subject matter of this application are: -to provide an appliance so arranged that it may be used by several persons at the same time, thus adapting it to the requirements of clubs and gymnasiums; to furnish a device ofthe character stated in which the movements imparted by each individual user will have a coperative relation, so that the impulses given by each user will be supplemental to or have an inhibiting effect upon that of the others; and to supply an apparatus that may be indefinitely extended so as to include a large number of units or may be contracted to suit the requirements of a few individuals.

Further objects of this invention, stated more in detail, are to provide an exercising device having cooperating units moving in unison and provided with grasping members, the latter being adjustable to suit persons varying in stature; and to furnish auxiliary swings or trapezes pendent from the main apparatus, thus rendering the appliance equally available for use by children as well as adults.

Other objects are to furnish swivel attachments for the grasping members or turning poles, to permit them to be held firmly without rotation relatively to the hand hold of the user; to provide a novel construction for the apparatus, and to supply an exercising apparatus available for use by a number of persons simultaneously, that will occupy a comparatively small space, thus adapting it for instalment in gymnasiums and small apartments, to produce an eflicient exercising apparatus that can be attached to the ceiling of a room, thus leaving a clear floor space, and to supply a device that is simple in construction and operation and that can be built at a moderate expense.

I accomplish the desired results by means of the a paratus illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application. The device, described in a Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 9, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 501,106.

general way, comprises a line shaft, journaled in hangers pendent from the ceiling, and having a series of adjustable crank arms connected by swiveled wrist pins which constitute the turning bars and auxiliary swings or trapezes supported by said bars.

The important details of construction are disclosed in the following views Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved exercising apparatus suspended from a ceiling; Fig. 2 is an end View of the appliance seen in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged, showing the manner of constructing the crank arms.

Referring to the details of the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a series of hangers, furnished with detaching plates 6 at their upper ends, and secured to the ceiling 7, or other available support, by suitable bolts 8. The lower ends of the hangers terminate in horizontal sleeves or boxes 9, in which is journaled a crank shaft, the alining portion being made up of sections 10, each section having its corresponding box, provision being made for lubricating the shaft by oil cup 11. The various portions of the structure are preferably made tubular wherever available to aiford a lighter construction and permit the apparatus to be operated more easily than if made of solid shafting. Between the shaft sections 10 are arranged cranks comprising crank arms 12, connected by a wrist pin or rod 13 constituting the grasping pole or turning bar. Each crank arm is made up of tubular sections 14, 15, adapted to telescope with one another to produce adjustability. The larger section 14 is connected to the corresponding shaft section by means of a threaded elbow 16, and the inner arm section 15 is engaged at its outer end by an elbow 17. The connecting wrist pin, or bar 13, is supported at its ends in the said elbow 17, and is attached thereto by a swivel union, consisting of pins 18, which pass through the walls of the elbow and engage peripheral grooves 19 formed in the bar ends. r1`he telescoping sections 14;, 15, of the crank arms are furnished with spaced holes 20, arranged to register when the sections are properly adjusted, to permit of the introduction of a locking pin 21. The crank arms 12 are preferably arranged at various angles thus constituting a triple or quadruple throw crank shaft, as shown in the end view Fig. 2, in order that the weight of the individuals when grasping the bars 13 may be distributed about the axis l this flexibility being advantageous since adwith as much uniformity as possible.

When it is desirable to bring the apparatus low enough to be reached by a child, I provide one or more bars 13 with an extension in the form of a trapeze 22, consisting of a sleeve 23 which is telescoped over the said bar 13 and is provided with pendent rods 24, having threaded union at 25 with the said sleeve, and connected at their lower ends by a horizontal bar 26. These auxiliary swings or trapezes may be of various lengths, and may be applied to as many of the turning bars or wrist pins as may be found desirable.

The manner of employing' my improved exercising device will be readily understood. The proper adjustments having been made to suit the requirements of the persons who are to join in its use, the latter will then each grasp one lof the wrist pins or turning bars and as the weights of the individuals will vary, the heavier will tend to depress their respective cranks, while the lighter persons will Vbe carried upward and as the exercisers let go from time to time and seize hold of a more elevated bar, it will follow that one or more of the cranks to which individuals are clinging will be carried entirely about the shaft axis, or, in other words, the shaft may be either rotated in its bearings by suitable movements of the exercisers, or simply rocked upon its centers.

This apparatus gives facility for performing all the ordinary gymnastio movements possible on bars or .trapezes, and in addition will afford beneficial variations in the muscular movements, at the same time imparting increased interest in the exercises because of the novel and pleasurable sensations accompanying the irregular movements, which may be wholly or partially voluntary on the part of the individuals participating in the exercises.

As the crank arms are removably attached to the shaft sections, it is feasible to lengthen or shorten the apparatus to suit the requirements by adding more cranks when the room will permit, or removing any desired number when the allotted space is contracted,

ditions may thus be installed as requirements arise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In an exercising apparatus, the combination with suitable supports, of a crankshaft j ournaled in said supports, a lplurality of adjustable double cranks on said shaft, and rotatable wrist pins for said cranks.

2. In an exercising apparatus, the combination with suitable supports, of a crank shaft, a plurality of double cranks on said shaft, means for adjusting the cranks, removable wrist pins for the cranks and auxiliary devices supported from said wrist pins.

3. In an exercising apparatus, the combination with hangers adapted to be attached to a suitable support, of a crank-shaft journaled in said hangers, a plurality of double cranks on said shaft, means for adjusting the cranks radially, and removable wrist pins swiveled on the crank arms.

4. In an exercising apparatus, the combination with hangers adapted to be attached to a suitable support, of a tubular crankshaft journaled in said hangers, crank arms removably attached to the shaft, said crank arms comprising telescoping sections, means for adjusting the sections relatively to each other, and removable wrist pins rotatably supported on the crank arms.

5. In an exercising apparatus, the combination with hangers, of a sectional crankshaft jouinaled in said hangers, a plurality of double cranks removably attached to the sections, adjustable crank arms, and rotatable wrist pins removably secured to the crank arms.

6. In an exercising apparatus, the combination of a sectional hollow shaft, a plurality of adjustable crank arms on said shaft, and removable wrist pins rotatably mounted in said crank arms.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDVARD C. GOUGH. lVitnesses THos. KniwaN, Jas. MORGAN. 

